Method and apparatus for visualizing locality within an address space
AssigneeSun Microsystems, Inc.
InventorDavid P. Stoutamire
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method and that display certain aspects of a computer memory on a display screen in accordance with a fractal curve. In at least one embodiment, the fractal curve is a Hilbert curve. The fractal curve display can be used as an aid in visualizing various types of information about a computer memory. Certain embodiments have a display that remains static, while other embodiments have a display that is dynamic and changes in real-time to reflect changes in memory.
Claims22
A method of displaying information, performed by a data processing system, comprising the steps of:
- receiving notification of a memory event, including a memory location;
- determining a portion of a fractal curve that corresponds to the memory location at which the memory event has occurred;
- and
- highlighting a portion of a display screen in accordance with the determined portion of the fractal curve.
An apparatus that displays information, comprising:
- a portion configured to determine a portion of a fractal curve that corresponds to a memory location at which a memory event has occurred;
- and
- a portion configured to highlight a portion of a display screen in accordance with the determined portion of the fractal curve.
An apparatus that displays information, comprising:
- means for determining a portion of a fractal curve that corresponds to a memory location at which a memory event has occurred;
- and
- means for highlighting a portion of a display screen in accordance with the determined portion of the fractal curve.
A computer program product, comprising:
- a computer usable medium having computer readable code embodied therein for displaying information, including:
- computer readable program code devices configured to cause a computer to effect determining a portion of a fractal curve that corresponds to a memory location at which a memory event has occurred;
- and
- computer readable program code devices configured to cause a computer to effect highlighting a portion of a display screen in accordance with the determined portion of the fractal curve.
A computer data signal embodied in a carrier wave and representing sequences of instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to display information by performing the steps of:
- determining a portion of a fractal curve that corresponds to a memory location at which a memory event has occurred;
- and
- highlighting a portion of a display screen in accordance with the determined portion of the fractal curve.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.